Sliver-evening mechanism for drawing-frames.



PATBNTED MAY 12, 1908.

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E. C. SMITH.

SLIVER EVENING MEGHANISM FOR DRAWING FRAMES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1907.

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/A/ ATTORNEYJ? PATENTBD MAY l2, 1908.

SLIVER EVENING- MEGAHANISM POR DRAWING FRAMES.

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moamf PATENIED MAY I2,v 1908 E. 0. SMITH.

SLIVER EVENING MEGHANISM FOR DRAWING FRAMES.

PPLICATION FILED .I .5. 1907. A AN 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR @d @M /h ATTORNEYI.

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EDWIN C. SMITH, OF SEEKONK, MASSACHUSETTS.

SLIVER-EVENING MECHANISM FOR DRAWING-FRAMES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed January 5, 1907. Serial No. 350,975.

T 0 aZZ 'whom imag concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. SMITH, residing at Seekonk, in the countyof Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sliver-Evening Mechanism for Drawing- Frames, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a sliver evening mechanism for drawingframes in which the movements of a detector due to variations in theweight of a sliver are caused to automatically effect a variation in therate of feed of the sliver.

For the purpose of illustration I have selected the type of evenermechanism described in reissued Letters Patent No. 12,478 to Y. S.vWestcott and F. WV. Potter, dated May 8, 1906. In the Vtype of machinedescribed in said reissued patent a variable speed motion is employedcomprising two oppositely disposed disks one of which is driven by theother through an interposed friction wheel, the driven disk beingconnected'through a train of gears with the back drawing rolls and theevener roll. This friction wheel, the positioning of which determinesthe speed of rotation of the driven disk, is connected in such manner tothe detectors that the whole duty of effecting the movements of saidwheel is imposed upon the slivers. While the movements of the frictionwheel are confined within narrow limits, a movement of aboutone-sixteenth of an inch resulting` in a difference of about five or sixgrains per yard of sliver, any feature which lends itself towardslessening the duty required of the sliver is of advantage.

The essence of the present invention resides in providing independentpower actuated means to perform the actual work of shiftingthe'jfriction wheel and requiring of the sliver the duty only of'permitting such means to become operative for the desired purpose, andespecially in means whereby a slight movement of a detector arm moved byvariations of the sliver causes instant action of the speed controlling`devices.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a drawing frameshowing the application of my improvement thereto; Fig. 2 a top planview of the same;

Fig. 3 an end elevation partially section with some of the partsomitted; Figs. 4 and 5 detail views of modified means of connecting thelever directly actuated by the detectors with a rod connected to themeans for shifting the friction wheel, Fig. 6 a detail view of the bar'which carries the friction wheel and the ratchet wheels mounted thereonFig. 7 a side view of a modified arrangement to effect the shifting ofthe friction wheel; Fig. 8 a top view of the left hand part of Fig. 7and Fig. 9 a detail elevation, partly in section, of the ratchetactuating pawls and the shield controlling the same of Fig. 7

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the table of a frameon which the mechanism herein described is mounted. 2 designates thefront, and 3 and 3 the back drawing rolls which have bearings instandards secured to the frame. The shaft 4 of the front drawing roll isdriven by a belt passing around a pulley 5 said belt being connected toa power shaft, the speed of rotation of said shaft 4 being practicallyuniform. On shaft 4 is keyed a disk 6 from which power is transmittedthrough an interposed friction wheel 7 to an oppositely disposed disk 8keyed or otherwise secured to a shaft 9 which shaft is longitudinallyshiftable in its bearings. By means of an adjustable nut 10 engaging athreaded portion of the shaft, a

spring 11 interposed between said nut and a thrust bearing 12 pressesthe disk S into frictional engagement with the friction wheel 7. Byadjusting the nut 10 in position the degree of spring pressure can beadjusted. thus controlling the degree of frictional contact between thedisk 8 and friction wheel 7 as desired. On shaft 9 is keyed a gear 9meshing with a gear 13. The latter through the train of gears shown inFig. 2 rotates the evener roll and the back drawing rolls 3 and 3, thelast one of the gears of the train being designated 14. On the shaft ofthe evener roll 17 is a gear 16 which through intermediate gear 15drives the back drawing rolls 3. The method of driving the evener rolland the back drawing rolls is substantially the same as illustrated and.described in said reissued patent.

The purpose of the present invention being to automatically vary therate of feed of the slivers passing through the evener roll I mount thefriction wheel 7 of the variable speed motion upon a spindle havingmechanism connected thereto which is adapted to be thrown into operationby the movements of 'the detectors upon any variation in the 30 by ascrew plug 34.

weight of the slivers from a normal. This is accom lished through thefollowing instrumentalities. The evener roll 17 is provided with aseries of peripheral grooves 18 adapted to receive without binding uponthe side walls thereof a corresponding number of detector disks 19revolubly supported on studs carried by yokes 20. These yokes aresecured to the ends of vertical rods 21 the upper ends of which formbearings for the saddles 22, the latter in turn supporting the uppersaddle 23 which is connected with the lever 24 by the followinginstrumentalities. The parts are so adjusted that in the absence of asliver a given disk 19-will rest upon the bottom of its groove 18 of theevener roll, and when a sliver is passing through the.

evener roll any variation thereof from a normal weight will be indicatedby the rising and falling movements of the disk 19, such movements beingcommunicated to lever 24 through the system just described. The lever 24is fulcrumed on a knife edge carried by a stirrup 25 attached to avertically adjustable rod 26 secured to a standard 27. The lever 24 isbalanced by an adjustable weight 28, and at the end of its lon 4er armis formed with a transversely placed ongitudinally bored head 29 throughwhich passes a rod 30. The rods 21 which carry the detector rolls areguided in their movements between plates 58 forming gart of a yoke 59seated upon suitable stan( ards. This yoke also carries upwardly theextending cheek pieces 60 to prevent any lateral movement of the saddles22 and 23. The rod 30 is held in frictional engagement with lever 24 byany suitable means. Thus in Fig. 1 I provide a pin 31 seated loosely inan opening in head 29 and made to bear against rod 30 by a spring 32.Or, as shown in Fig. 4, the head 29 may be bored transversely to receivea packing 33 adapted to be forced against rod Another method of securingthe rod 30 is shown in Fig. 5 in which the end of lever 24 is split soas to embrace said rod, the two sections of the lever being heldtogether by a suitable spring clamp 35. The method of connecting lever24 and rod 30 is a mere matter of detail the purpose being to provide agood frictional connection which will be sufficient to secure thedesired movements of rod 30 to permit ol the adjustment of frictionwheel 7, and to permit lever 24 to slide along said rod when the limitof movement of thelatter is reached.

Supported in standards secured to the bedplate 1 is a spindle 36 screwthreaded for a portion of its length and having a spline 36 y whichrotation in its bearings is prevented, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6.On said the revolving friction wheel 7 it being obvious that as thespindle is moved longitudinally in one direction or the other the saidwheel will be carried toward or away from the axis of the driving disk 6thereby effecting a change in the speed of rotation of the driven disk 8and consequently of shaft 9 and the rolls connected thereto. To effectthe movement of spindle 36 I provide two ratchet wheels 38 and 39 whichmay be formed intef grally on a single hub as shown in Fig. 6 or onindependent hubs. In either'case the hub or hubs is or are interiorlyscrew threaded to engage the threaded sectionl of spindle 36. Theseratchet wheels have their teeth inclined in opposite directions and areactuated respectively by spring pressed pawls 40 and 41, said pawlsbeing pivoted on a rod 42 carrying at its lower end a follower 43 whichengages a continuQusly rotating cam 44 whereby a reciprocating movementis imparted to said rod. The rod 42 has a bearing in a bracket 45 bywhich it is guided in its movements. A spring 46 interposed between saidbracket and a pin on rod 42 holds the follower 43 in contact with cam44.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 6 the ratchet wheels 38 and 39 are supportedby a bracket 47 conveniently formed as to embrace the hub of saidwheels. Having loose bearings on spindle 36 outside of the ratchetwheels are two forwardly projecting arms 48 the outer ends of whichcarry a shield 49 extending over a portion of the teeth of said wheels.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the rod 30 is bifurcated near its lower endand the two sections connected to the respective arms.48. The relationof the shield and actuating pawls is such that when the slivers passingthrough the evener roll are of normal weight the shield 49 will preventengagement between the actuating pawls and the ratchet wheels, and whena sliver runs above or below normal weight the shield 49 will be movedsufficiently to permit the proper pawl to feed its ratchet wheel toeffect the desired movement of friction wheel 7. In practice the teethof the ratchet wheels 38 and 39 should be of small pitch so that asingle reciprocation of rod 42 will effect a feed on only one or twoteeth. At the upper end of rod 30 is secured a laterally projectingfinger 50 adapted to contact with adjustable stops 51 and 52 carried inarms of a standard or bracket 53.

In Fig. 1 I have shown weighted cords 61 attached to yokes 20 to insuresufficient con- ,tact between the detector rolls and the slivers passingthereunder.

The method of operation of the machine abovedescribed is as follows. Theslivers indicated at 54 (see FiO. 2) passing in pairs from the reartension roll 55 are directed by the stationaryl trumpets 56 to thegrooves of spindle is mounted a yoke 37 which carries the evener roll17. They pass thence to the l constant in weight for a givenunit oflength,

back drawing rolls 3 and 3, front drawing l rolls 2 and are thendelivered to the condenser rolls 57.

The several parts are adjusted primarily l for a sliver of normalweight7 that is, rod 30 is maintained in such position by lever v24 thatthe finger 50 is substantially midway between the stops 51 and 52, andshield 49 bears against pawls 4() and 41 to hold them out of engagementwith their respective ratchet wheels. Assume now that a sliver passingthrough one of the grooves of the evener roll increases in weight abovethe normal. In that case the corresponding detector roll 19 will beraised thus lifting its yoke 20, rod 21 and the long arm of lever 24.This movement of lever 24 will lift rod 30 and shield 49 thus permittingpawl 4() to drop into engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 3S, andas said pawl is continuously actuated through cam 44 the ratchet wheel3S will be fed so long as shield 49 is maintained in position to permitthe engagement of pawl 40 with the teeth of said ratchet wheel. Therotation of ratchet wheel 38 effects a longitudinal movement of spindle36 in its bearings in such direction as to carry friction wheel 7 towardthe axis of the driving disk 6 thus decreasing the speed of rotation ofthe driven disk S and consequently of the back drawing rolls and evenerroll thereby permitting the front rolls 2 to draw the sliver down tonormal weight. On the other hand, should a sliver run below normal thecorresponding detector will drop thereby lowering shield 49 andpermitting pawl 41 to drop into engagement with its ratchet wheel 39 toeffect a movement of spindle 36 in a reverse direction and, therefore, amovement of friction wheel 7 toward the periphery of the driving disk 6.This results in an increase in the speed of rotation of the evener roll17 and back rolls 3 and a consequent increase in the amount of sliverfed. to the front rolls, the resulting sliver which passes through thecondenser rolls being practically or varying within inconsequentiallimits. Should one of the detectors be raised due to an increase inweight of the sliver passing under it and at the same time anotherdetector permitted to fall due to a decrease in the weight of the sliverpassing under it7 then the resultant movement of lever 24 will effectsuch adjustment of the parts above described as to produce a sliverwhich when delivered to the condenser rolls 57 will be of substantiallyuniform weight for a given unit of length.

From the above description it will be observed that the only dutyimposed upon the sliver is to effect a change of position of shield 49so as to permit pawls 4() and 41 to drop into engagement with theirrespective ratchet wheels, said pawls simply riding over l shield 49when not called upon to feed the ratchets. The parts enteringimmediately into consideration in this connection are so adjusted thatthe instant any movement is imparted to rod 30 by the variation of asliver from normal weight the shield 49 will be moved one way or theother to permit one of the pawls to drop into operative engagement withits ratchet wheel. The function of the stops 51 and 52 is, therefore, tolimit the movements of rod 30 beyond that which is necessary to effectthe desired movement of shield 49. By reason of the frictionalengagement between lever 24 and rod 30 a movement is permitted theformer after the completion of the movement of the latter. By reason ofthis relation between said lever and rod a slight variation in theweight of a given sliver will shift shield 49 to permit either one orthe other of pawls 4() and 41 to act.

In Figs. 7 8 and 9 I have shown a modification in which the spindle 36carries at its outer end a U-shaped extension 5S the respective uppersides of which are provided u with ratchets 59 and 60, the teeth onwhich are inclined in opposite directions. Adapted to be brought intoengagement with these ratchets are pawls 61 and 62 pivotally mounted inbrackets carried by a bar 63 which is slidably mounted in a standard 64.To the outer end of bar 63 is secured a lever 65 fulcrumed on a studcarried by the bedplate 1. The lower end of lever 65 carries a follower66 adapted to engage a cam 67 on a shaft 68 by which the said cam iscontinuously rotated, thereby reciprocating bar 63 and the pawls carriedthereby.

Supported in a bearing 69 secured to or forming part of the standard 64is a rock shaft 7() to which is attached a shield 71 extending over andin proximity to the pawls 61 and 62. The shaft 70 has secured thereto alever 72 the outer end of which is carried by a stud on the lower end ofrod 30. These parts are so adjusted. that when the slivers 54 arerunning normal the shield 71 will be maintained. in a substantiallyhorizontal plane resting upon the tails of pawls 61 and 62 to hold themout of engagement with their respective ratchets. Should a sliver runabove normal weight the lever 24 will be raised thus rocking the shaft70 in such direction as to tilt the shield 71 to cause the latter' tobear down upon pawl 62 and thereby permitting pawl 61 to fall by gravityinto engagement with the teeth of ratchet 59. As the pawls arecontinuously actuated the spindle 36 will be moved longitudinally tocarry the friction wheel 7 toward the axis of the driving disk 6 tothereby reduce the speed of the back drawing rolls and the evener rollas already described. Should a sliver run below normal then shield 71will be tilted in the direction indicated in Fig. 9

' so as to release pawl 62 and allow it to drop into operativeengagement with its ratchet 60. r1`his will result in the feeding ofspindle 36 in an opposite direction or so as to move friction wheel 7toward the periphery of the driving disk 6 thereby increasing the speedof the back drawing rolls and the evener roll.

Practical conditions in this art deal with variations of a few grainsper yard of sliver and in order to effect the desired movement offriction wheel 7 which is confined within very narrow limits, the teethof the ratchets should be of small pitch so that a minute movement ofthe friction wheel can be obtained and also to diminish the extent oftravel and amount of duty imposed on the shield. If very coarse teethwere used, as is the case on railway heads, more tension would berequired to mesh the pawls7 and a longer range of movement would berequired for the shields.

The advantages heretofore referred to of the frictional engagementbetween lever 24 and rod 30 are present in the construction shown inFig. 7 inasmuch as the slight movement of the detectors 19, transmittedto rod 30 through lever 24 will effect an immediate tilting of shield71, the corresponding increase or decrease in the speed of the backdrawing rolls and the evener roll being effected without the necessityof a complete movement of lever 24. As soon as normal conditions in theweight of the sliver are restored the shield 71 will assume suchposition as to hold both of the reciprocating pawls out of engagementwith their respective ratchets.

In the type of sliver evening mechanism herein described an essentialfeature is the confining of the sliver on all sides, that is between thebottom and side walls of the grooves of the evener roll and thedetectors. The latter bear directly upon the slivers and are yieldinglymounted in a plane transverse to the plane of fixed confinement fromwhich it results that the detectors respond instantly to any variationsin the weight of a sliverl from a normal whether that variation is in avertical or transverse direction. This movement is communicated throughthe system of levers described to the mechanism which controls theposition of the ratchet actuating' evener roll in the description andclaims an element adapted to conne the sliver in tion of a lever adaptedto be moved by the sliver when it varies from a normal weight, a rodhaving frictional engagement with said lever, stops to limit the extentof movement of said rod whereby the4 lever may continue its movementinde endently of said rod, and means controlled y said rod to effect avariation in the rate of feed of the sliver.

2. In a sliver evening device the combination of means for confining thesliver on all sides comprising a detector resting or bearing on saidsliver and adapted to be moved thereby when the sliver varies from anormal weight, mechanism to vary the rate of feed of the slivercomprising ratchets and pawls therefor, means for continuously actuatingsaid pawls, a lever adapted to be moved by said detector, a rod having afrietional engagement with said lever, stops to limit the extent ofmovement of said rod whereby the lever may continue its movementindependently of said rod, and means connected to said rod and adaptedby its movements to hold the pawls out of engagement with the respectiveratchets or to permit one or the other of them to engage its ratchets toeffect the desired variation in the rate of feed of the sliver.

3. In a sliver evening device the combination of a lever adapted to bemoved by the sliver when it varies from a normal weight, said leverhaving a transversely placed longitudinally bored head, a rod passingthrough and frictionally engaging said head, mechanism to vary therateof feed of the sliver comprising ratchets and pawls therefor, means forcontinuously actuating said pawls, and a shield for holding said pawlsout of engagement with their respective ratchets under normalconditions, said shield being connected to said rod,'whereby said shieldmay be moved to permit one or the other of said signed my name in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN C. SMITII.

Witnesses:

GEORGE I-I. PARKER, ARTHUR G. HENRIKsON.

